President Ashraf Ghani praised the security forces’ activities and said they are the pride of the nation. President Ashraf Ghani on Monday reiterated that there will be no compromise on security and the defense forces in the peace negotiations and that the troops have given the “highest sacrifice” in the last six years.

Five people were killed and nine others were wounded including the provincial Ulema Council head in a car bomb blast in central Kapisa province on Sunday.

Unidentified gunmen have killed a former jihadi commander in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital city of northern Balkh province.

A Taliban group leader was among 13 newly released insurgents killed in an Afghan Air Force air raid in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said on Monday.

Nine policemen have been killed in an insider attack in the Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province, an official said on Monday.

Four insurgents have been detained and an Afghan National Army (ANA) officer wounded in an explosion in Kabul, an official said on Monday.

At least 28 Taliban were killed and seven others were wounded in Zherai and Arghandab districts of Kandahar province, the Ministry of Defense stated on Sunday.

HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Haneef Atmar met with HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Afghanistan Saeed bin Mubarak Al Khayarin.

In an explosion in Kapisa, five people were killed and two were injured on Sunday afternoon, local officials said.

The decision is intended to expedite the procurement process and implementation of projects, the officials said. The National Security Council (NSC) will oversee the procurement process for projects of security and defense institutions based on a decision by the National Procurement Authority, officials of the authority said Sunday.